LAYER’s Pendler e-bike – urban cycling at its finest

LAYER, the creative agency founded by Benjamin Hubert with award-winning furniture and mobility designs, has just revealed their newly designed Pendler: a compact urban e-bike concept created for better commuting. The bike is an exciting combination of the power of an e-bike and the appeal of traditional cycling, resulting in a compact yet powerful format that is designed to make urban living more convenient and enjoyable. 

The name Pendler comes from the Danish word for “commuting” – a nod to the tradition of cycling in Denmark, one of the most cycle-friendly countries in the world with 9 out of 10 Danes owning a bike. 

“We believe easy, everyday travel should be for everybody – and our aim with Pendler was to envisage a safer, more convenient and effortless mode of personal transport to enable independence for commuting in the city. The result is an intelligently designed e-bike that is inclusive, easy to store in compact urban spaces, and balances high performance with a desirable, crafted aesthetic.” – Benjamin Hubert, Founder of LAYER.

Convenience in elegance

A minimalistic design isn’t always synonymous with convenience, but in the Pendler’s case, that was one of the designers' main points of focus. The symmetrical step-through U-shaped frame not only creates an appearance like no other, it also challenges the conventional performance-driven language of e-bikes. 

What do we mean by “convenience,” you ask? Well, for one, the lack of a conventional top tube allows riders to step through the frame regardless of what they are wearing, making the bike inclusive for a wide demographic of users with varying ranges of mobility. The saddle and handlebar height can also be adjusted for a comfortable ride, no matter your size. 

That’s not all – the compact wheelbase and relatively small 20-inch wheels allow for easy storage and travel on public transport, reducing the complexities often involved in urban commuting. In keeping with this approach, the folding pedals and 90-degree turning handles facilitate storage in compact urban spaces, including apartments and share-houses where space is key.  

One of the most fun aspects of the Pendler bike is that it comes with several modular, detachable accessories that enable users to carry shopping and luggage, as well as a phone dock that offers safe and easy access to devices while riding. The front and rear basket attachments feature a timber base with a wire surround and integrated adjustable straps that keep luggage or shopping in place, and when not in use, these baskets can simply be hung up on storage hooks in the home for a more streamlined ride. 

Commuting in style 

The Pendler bike isn’t just convenience and performance – it’s also a symbol of finely crafted aesthetics, which creates a new vision for urban commuting. This vision isn’t just about the user’s performance needs for efficient travel, but also their lifestyle aspirations. 

Of course, materials are always a key part of design, and LAYER are masters at using materials creatively to result in unique designs. For instance, the frame is constructed from standard circular steel tubing with die-cast aluminium mounts for the baskets, which have a more organic, fluid expression. This is paired with leather details in the saddle and handles and the timber slats of the basket to bring a sense of warmth and craft to the bike.

There are also integrated indicator lights on the handlebars and rear and front of the frame – which are powered by the inbuilt battery – to help cyclists communicate with other traffic without having to take their hands off the bike, as is often the case for urban riders. This is a particularly pertinent concern for cities such as London or Paris, where cycling accidents are commonplace. 

Sustainable performance 

In more technical terms, the Pendler bike utilises a compact 45Nm rear hub motor that allows the frame to maintain a sinuous, uninterrupted form, and it is powered by a removable 250Wh battery for ease of off-bike charging or sustainable replacement. Speed is controlled via the handlebars, and the top speed is 25km per hour in keeping with the UK/EU speed guidelines. The battery can be easily removed and charged via any outlet, and a single charge can achieve 70km distance, making Pendler ideal for weekly commutes.

Pictures: LAYER
Text: Britta Reineke